1975

Rowing Takes Dedication

By Bill Donovan, Sports Director

It takes dedication to train at 6 o’clock in the morning, 12 months a year.

But that’s exactly what the members of the Kennebecasis Rowing Club have been doing for the past 52 weeks. "Training in the early hours of the morning teaches the athletes to give the Kennebecasis Club. There’s lots of hard word in this sport."

Hum Bonnycastle is confident the hard work will pay off when 11 members of his club take part in the prestigious Henley Regatta at St. Catharines, Ont. later this month.

It’ll be the second straight year the Kennebecasiis placed second in its heat and fourth in the final, while the lightweight crew won heats with and without a cox. The lightweights finished fourth and sixth respectively in the final.

Bonnycastle says both crews are "far better" this year, "and we have high hopes of doing well." The Henley begins

July 30.

New Coach

Under new coach Timmy Frink, the Kennebecasis crews work seven days a week, two hours at a time and twice on weekends. The training includes that on weights.

Frink, a Saint John man replaces Gerry Lienent, a former national coach who has returned to Ontario. Frink is being assisted by Keith Ratcliffe, who rowed in England for ten years.

"Keith Ratcliffe has turned out to be an excellent coach. He deals more in finesse than Lienert."

Bonnycastle says his optimistic look at the the Henley is because Kennebecasis will be sending experienced crews.

There’ll be one new man in each boat. Steve Gaunce and David Allan.

The heavyweight crew includes Andy Messer, Mark Allen, Gaunce, McConnell and coxswain Daniel Delimd. The lightweight crew is made up of Norman Demers, David Allen, Mike Chapman, Pat Flood and Andre Morrison, the cox. Sean McGuire will make the trip as a spare. Bonnycastle calls Messer "an excellent oarsman."

The crews will get a preliminary test when they take part in a meet at Montreal before going on to the Henley. In addition to their training, the crews will take part in a meet at Montreal before going on to the Henley. In addition to their training, the crews will take part in demonstrations at Fredericton this weekend, where the province’s second club has been formed.

Donates Boat

In fact Bonnycastle’s club had given Fredericton "our first boat-the one we got started with." That boat was donated to Kennebecasis by the Micmac Club of Dartmouth N.S.

The MicMac club donated the boat in 1972 and since then the Kennebecasis Club had added to its fleet. "We have five boats now and we hope to add another next year," Bonnycastle said. "We need an 8-man boat and we may get it next year."

Bonnycastle calls rowing "an expensive sport." He also says his club is limited to about a dozen members because of the number of boats he has. "If we had more members, we wouldn’t have room in the boats for them, and there’s no point rowing unless you can do it competitively."

As the club increases its fleet, it will increase its membership and Bonnycastle has hopes of adding a female crew during 1976.

Bonnycastle said that funds to purchase have come from the private sector. "We’ve even had boats donated to us."

The Kennebecasis Club, in addition to Bonnycastle and Frink "has 12 other persons helping us along."

With Dr. Hum Bonnycastle showing the leadership, don’t be surprised if the Kennebecasis crews return from the Henley with their share of medals.

Don’t be surprised at all!